Spoon-holder.



[10,670,502. Patented Mar. 26, I901. a. ANDERSON.

SPDON HOLDER.

(Application 0151 Sept. 21, 1900.

(No Model.) I

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC BETTY ANDERSON, OF LANCASTER, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO W. E. MCCANN, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.

SPOON-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 6'70, 502, dated March 26, 1901. Application filed September 21, 1900. Serial No, 30,719. (No model.)

caster, in the county of Garrard and State of- Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spoon-Holders; and

I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,

This invention relates to devices for bolding spoons, forks, give.

The annoyance caused by the frequent slipping of spoons or similar utensils into the contents of cooking vessels and dishes served at table is well understood, and though various contrivances have been devised for preventing such accidents they have generally been found unsatisfactory, because they prevent the cover from being placed on the vessel and permit the utensil to be held in but one position, while in many instances they lack the necessary simplicity in construction and cheapness of manufacture.

The principal objectof my invention is to provide a simple and effective device adapted to be detachably fitted to the rim or edge of a vessel for supporting a spoon or similar utensil to prevent its falling from or into the vessel without interfering with the placing of the cover on the dish.

A further object is to produce an efiicient device of the character described from a single piece of sheet metal, either silver, aluminium, or other material, thus reducing the cost of manufacture to a minimum.

The invention will first be hereinafter more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

In said drawings, in which similar parts are denoted by like letters of reference, Figure 1 represents a covered vessel, partly in vertical cross-section, having a device embodying my invention appliedthereto and holding a. spoon with its bowl within the vessel. Fig. 2 represents the device supporting the spoon entirely outside of the vessel. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device; Fig. 4, a plan of a blank which has been out for forming the device therefrom, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a similar holder of ornamental design.

The holder is preferably constructed from a single piece of metal, though other suitable material may be used, and may consist of a substantially U-shaped piece or clasp having one of its limbs or members a comparatively broad and the other, a, slitted and the two outer portions of the slitted member turned up to provide a return fold or lap forming supporting arms or prongs a the device being adapted to fit over or embrace the edge of a vessel with the arms or prongs c upstanding at the outer side thereof, so that a spoon or other utensil may be held by its handle between said arms and prevented from slipping down into the dish or supported entirely without the vessel between the arms and the adjacent down wardly-tu rned connecting portion of the clasp, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively.

As shown in the drawings, the limb or por- I tion a. of the holder which is design ed to overlie the inner side of the vessel is preferably of sufficient width and size to render the device stable, while the portion a, designed to overhang the outer side and having the spoonsupporting arms extending in an opposite direction therefrom, may be of less size than the part a to reduce the visible portion of the device. Said portions or members, as well as the bifurcated return fold or lap constituting the supporting-arms, may also be at suitable distances apart and may possess sufficient elasticity to adapt the holder for use with vessels and utensils of different sizes. The arms a preferably extend from the upper portion of the outer member of the U shaped piece, the portion of the material left between said arms forming a downward extension of that member, which may bear against the outer side of the vessel and serve to secure a wide range of adjustment of the article held between them, and said arms are also preferably inclined or sprung slightly forward to securely clasp the spoon or other utensil when the device is used in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2, while their upper ends are slightly offset or curved backward to permit a cover to be placed upon the vessel without tripping or catching, against said arms.

I thus provide a very efficient and convenient holder which may be readily attached to a bowl or dish or removed from one vessel to another at pleasure and which will not interfere with the cover when it is desired to remove or replace the same. The device is especially convenient for use with covered dishes served at table, the spoon being adapted to rest between the arms a and the adjacent limb or member of the U-shaped portion entirely without the covered vessel before the dish is served, as shown in Fig. 2, while during and after serving it may be held with its handle between the arms or prongs and its bowl within the vessel, as shown in Fig. 1, to prevent the contents of the spoon from dripping on the table-covering. The holdermay be used equally as well with open or covered vessels, and in the latter case without interfering in the least with the cover, which closes over the curved clasp or U-shaped portion between the return-bend at the base of the part ct and the arms while said arms stand away from the cover at the outer side of the vessel. \Vhen used with a covered vessel, the cover may have a notch or recess to receive the handle of the spoon or other utensil.

The holder is very simple in construction and may be formed from a single piece or blank cut from sheet metal, silver,aluminium, celluloid, or other suitable material, such a blank being represented in Fig. 4E.

The device may be used for other purposes than here shown. For instance, it may be attached to the edge of a plate or butter-dish 1. A device of the character described comprising practicallya U-shaped clasp with one limb or member thereof slitted and bent rcversely in part near the connecting-bend between the members, leaving a pendent portion to overlie the outer side of a vessel, said reversely-bent portions forming upstanding arms extending above said connecting-bend, substantially as described.

2. A device of the character described constructed of a substantially oblong strip slitted or cut at one end for a part of its length to form outer portions and a central or intermediate portion, said strip being bent into a U shape and the outer portions of the slitted or cut member thereof bent or returned upon themselves and forming upstanding arms extending above the connecting-bend between the two members, said intermediate portion and the uncut member of the device forming a clasp for attachment to a dish or similar vessel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BETTY ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

H. T. LOGAN, FRANKLIN BACON. 

